Michael Riccitelli

Michael Riccitelli was an artist active during a concentrated period between 1935 and 1939, during which their output was primarily dedicated to the Index of American Design. This historic federal project, created under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration, sought to meticulously document American decorative arts and folk traditions from the colonial era through the nineteenth century. Riccitelli contributed fifteen cataloged works to this national survey.

Riccitelli’s artistic focus centered on producing detailed, informational renderings of historical objects and artifacts. These drawings and watercolors serve as critical visual records, emphasizing form, structure, and ornamentation. Specific works represented in collections include studies of period furniture and folk art, such as the Banister Back Side Chair, the documented forms of the Table and Table (Tripod), and the illustrative record of a Hitching Post. Riccitelli’s documentation also extended to unique American crafts, evidenced by the rendering of a Carousel Dog.

The verifiable contributions of Michael Riccitelli to the Index of American Design are preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Owing to their creation under government sponsorship, these works are frequently found in the public domain. Today, reproductions of Michael Riccitelli prints and historical renderings are often made available as high-quality prints, sustaining interest in the vast federal documentation projects of the 1930s.